ISSN:
1573-1561
Keywords:
Lepidoptera
;
Lasiocampidae
;
Malacosoma americanum
;
Malacosoma disstria
;
Tortricidae
;
Archips cerasivoranus
;
trail marker
;
pheromone
;
interspecific response
;
tent caterpillar
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
Abstract Exploratory trails deposited on paper strips by the forest tent caterpillar (FTC),Malacosoma disstria Hubner, and the eastern tent caterpillar (ETC),M. americanum (Fabricius), as well as extracts of these trails, readily elicited interspecific trail-following behavior. In 2-choice tests involving simple Y mazes constructed from these paper strips, the caterpillars of both species preferred by approximately 3∶1 the trails of the FTC. Studies involving whole colonies of the ETC maintained under nearnatural conditions in the laboratory, however, indicated that the trails deposited by successful foragers of the ETC as they returned to their tent from feeding sites were more attractive than the exploratory trails of either the ETC or FTC. The pronounced interspecific response of these congeners to each other's trails suggests that they utilize either qualitatively similar or identical trail-marking chemicals. Both species preferred their own trails to those ofArchips cerasivoranus (Fitch) (Tortricidae), providing the first evidence that more distantly related lepidopterous larvae utilize distinct trails.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00987841
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